OF NATURAL HISTORY. 361 



the perfed ftate. They are now much larger, being half an inch in 

 length, and equal in fize to fifteen of the labourers. The form of 

 the head is likewife greatly changed. In the labourer ftate, the 

 mouth is evidently formed for gnawing or holding bodies : But, in 

 the foldier ftate, the jaws being fliaped like two ftiarp awls a little 

 jagged, are deftined folely for piercing or wounding. For thefe pur- 

 pofes they are very well calculated ; for they are as hard as a crab's 

 claw, and placed in a ftrong horny head, which is of a nut-brown 

 colour, and larger than the whole body. 



The figure of the third order, or that of the infedl in its perfedt 

 ftate, is ftill more changed. The head, the thorax, and the abdo- 

 men, differ almoft entirely from the fame parts in the labourers and 

 foldiers. Befide, the animals are now furniflied with four large, 

 brownifli, tranfparent wings, by which they are enabled, at the pro- 

 per feafon, to emigrate and to eftablifti new fettlements. In the 

 winged or perfedl ftate, they have likewife acquired the organs of 

 generation, and are greatly altered in their fize as well as in their 

 figure. " Their bodies now meafure between fix and feven tenths of 

 an inch, their wings, from tip to tip, above two inches and a half, 

 and their bulk is equal to that of thirty labourers, or two foldiers. 

 Inftead of aftive, induftrious, and rapacious little animals, when they 

 arrive at their perfect ftate, they become innocent, helplefs, and 

 daftardly. Their numbers are great ; but their enemies are ftii! 

 more numerous. They are devoured by birds, by every fpecies of 

 ants, by carnivorous reptiles, and even by the inhabitants of many 

 parts of Africa. This laft fadl is attefted by Pifo, Margraave, De 

 Laet, Konig, Moor, Sparman, and by many other travellers, as well 

 as by Smeathman. After fuch devaftation, it is furprifing that a 

 fingle pair ftiould efcape fo many dangers. ' Some, however,' fays 

 Mr Smeathman, 'are fo fortunate j and being found by fome of the 

 * labouring infeds, that are continually running about the furface of 

 t Z z * the 



